When the school bell rang announcing the end of another school day all the students eagerly packed up their belongings and hurriedly exited their respective classrooms. Their loud voices reverberated around the previously empty corridors, laughter and chatter clearly heard by the still seated and silent students in class 406, all of whom were anxiously waiting for their history teacher to stop his annoying blabber and dismiss the loathed class, because who actually cared about the cold war, certainly not the students in class 406. The only thing they cared about was the fact that school had ended and yet they were still stuck inside listening to their teachers never ending rant.

The only person who wasn’t bothered about the extra-long lesson was Mark, who was seated at the back of the class next to the open window. Not bothering to jolt down a single note, the desk in front of him was bare of any books or writing material. Mark had no interest in learning and didn’t try to pretend otherwise, most of his teachers were used to his indifference and didn’t bother with him, but others still tried to evoke his interest, without much success.  Most days Mark spent his time either sleeping or drawing and if he wasn’t allowed to do either, as was the case with the history teacher who wouldn’t let him sleep and confiscated his drawings, Mark would simply result to aimlessly staring out of the window.

The whole class practically sprang out of their chairs and ran towards the door as soon as the teacher dismissed the class, except for Mark who sluggishly got off his seat and picking up his messenger bag he slowly made his way out of the classroom.  Exiting the classroom he immediately saw Jackson leaning against the lockers ahead of him. Mark hated the way his heart skipped a beat as soon as he saw him, how his palms became all sweaty and he could feel himself getting flustered. He had long accepted the fact that he was attracted to Jackson that he looked at him in a way that he shouldn’t. Mark had no illusions, he knew Jackson would never see him as anything more than a friend, Jackson thought of him as a brother and loved him as such, and Mark had no hope of him ever reciprocating his feelings, which was why he kept them to himself.

“What are you looking at?” Mark asked when he reached Jackson’s side, and turning his gaze towards the poster Jackson was looking at, Mark saw that it was advertising the upcoming school Halloween party.  “Are you going?”

“Irene wants to go,” he answered despondently.

“If you don’t want to go just tell her, I’m sure she’ll eventually get over it,” Mark retorted, his tone of voice indicating his dislike for Irene. He couldn’t help it, no matter how much he tried he couldn’t bring himself to like Jackson’s girlfriend.

“It’s not the party I have an issue with, it’s the next two weeks of Irene going on about our costumes that’s what I can’t stand. Every year it’s the same and every year we end up with an even cheesier couple’s costume. You remember last year, don’t you? I looked like a complete in that Aladdin costume.”

“Yeah,” Mark nodded in agreement. “You did look like an idiot.”

“Thank you very much,” Jackson chuckled. “What about you? Are you going?”

“What? On my own? No thanks.”

“Well you don’t have to go on you own, you could ask someone to go with you.”

“Oh really? And who exactly should I ask?” Mark inquired crossing his hands over his chest as he spoke.

“How about Wendy?” Jackson suggested.

“What, Irene’s friend?” Mark spat not attempting to hide the look of distaste on his face.

“You don’t have to look so disgusted, she’s hot, and she likes you. What’s the problem?”

“Since when has she liked me?”

“Since always, you’re just too blind to notice,” Jackson argued. “What’s wrong? Why don’t you like her?”

“Does something have to be wrong for me not to like her?” Mark retorted slightly panicked by Jackson’s question, not wanting to tell him that he had no interest in Wendy or any other girl for that matter.

“There must be a reason why you don’t like her?” Jackson insisted.

“Well there isn’t, I’m just not interested in her. Why are you so obsessed with finding me a girlfriend? Is there something wrong with me not having one?”

“I never said there was something wrong with you not having a girlfriend,” Jackson sighed in defeat. “But you’re fifteen, I just think it’s time you start showing some interest. You’ve never once told me that you liked a girl…”

“Just because I never say anything doesn’t mean I don’t like anyone,” Mark interrupted earning an impish grin out of Jackson.

“So there is someone, who is it?” he asked very curious to know who Mark’s secret crush was.

“None of your business. Now I got to go before I’m late for detention.”

“You got detention, again?” Jackson scolded, his voice very similar to that of a disapproving parent. “What for this time?”

“Forgot to do my math homework,” Mark admitted, heading towards the detention classroom with Jackson quick to follow him.

“Forgot or didn’t bother?”

“Bit of both.”

“Do I have to start checking if you did your homework like I used to when you were a kid?”

“No need, I wouldn’t do it anyway,” he retorted just as they reached the classroom.

“What is your problem?” Jackson yelled stopping Mark from entering the room. “Don’t you want to go to college?”

“I can’t afford to go to college.”

“You could get a scholarship, just like I’m hoping to get. You’re not stupid if you put the effort in you would easily get one,” Jackson scolded in an attempt to make Mark see sense. But by the way Mark kept rolling his eyes at him he knew it was all useless chatter on his part.

“I’m heading in before I get into even more trouble,” Mark said ignoring everything Jackson had just said to him.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you by the gate.”

“What you’re gonna wait a whole hour?”

“Yeah, you need to come help me pick a present for Irene.”

“Can’t you just go on you own?” Mark whined not in the least bit interested in picking out an anniversary present for Irene.

“No, I can’t. You promised you’d come with me. So I’ll see you in an hour,” Jackson replied, quickly walking away from Mark before he could further protest.

Entering the classroom Mark took his usual seat at the back next to the window. The teacher supervising suggested they use their time wisely and finish up their homework, but Mark hadn’t even bothered to take note of the homework he was given in the first place. So sitting down he took out a piece of paper and silently scribbled on it with his pencil. The mindless scribble began to resemble the shape of a face and once Mark noticed the resemblance he consciously started to draw Jackson. Mark knew every contour and feature of Jackson’s face and managed to draw every last detail perfectly.

“You’re very talented,” the teacher stated, startling Mark who was too busy examining his own drawing to notice her standing behind him.  

“T-thank you,” he stuttered blushing furiously.

“Who is it?” she questioned as she looked closer at the drawing